TV Licensing: A Colossal Waste of Public Funds at BBC

Source: Weebly (edited)

August 10, 2014: When it comes to TV Licensing, most people in the UK are familiar with who they are and what they do. Their strong arm and threatening tactics over the years have created quite a negative reputation for the organization whose sole task it is to enforce the seemingly archaic law in Britain that requires everyone with a TV to purchase an annual license in order to watch TV programing. Furthermore, many people may also be familiar with the fact that TV licensing fees are used as the main financing mechanism for the BBC which outwardly would seem like just another broadcasting company. However what most people may not be aware of is the scale of colossal waste that has occurred over the years at the BBC as a result of a series of recent scandals which has to raise serious questions as to whether the public is being ripped off by the TV tax considering the clandestine waste at the BBC. The numbers are absolutely staggering with the BBC inheriting an eye-popping £3.5 billion+ per year from the British public through TV licensing fees. Take for instance the most recent waste involving the £100m Digital Media Initiative fiasco at the BBC that led to the unfair dismissal suit by the BBC’s former Chief Technology officer – John Linwood against the corporation. The BBC spent a total of £98.4 million on this high tech project only to scrap the project when things didn’t go according to plan. Instead of taking the blame at the top, Mr Linwood was used as the ‘fall guy’ to allow the BBC to wash their hands of this extreme level of incompetence that borders criminal. The British people need to be reminded this colossal waste of public money came out of the hard earned cash of the pockets of more than 678,000 individuals or families across the country who have forked out £145.50 per annual for a TV license (a joke of tax to begin with). How can this kind of waste be tolerated by the British public any longer? Furthermore, the salaries paid to the top mangement at BBC out of our public pockets - as evidenced by the former BBC chief technology officer - are nothing short of exorbitant at £240,000 per year (with £140,000 sign on bonus)! The head boss at BBC makes a whopping £450,000 per year. Unfortunately, this kind of blatant waste in the face of an otherwise supporting public is not a one off deal. A deeply engrained pattern has surfaced over recent years that keeps BBC’s ‘waste tab’ mounting with time – with some estimating recent waste as high as £350 million!

One thing is for sure, the British Public is being gouged by an organization that has blatant disregard for the arrogant waste of public funds. Enough is enough! Minimally, every head of household in Britain (who owns a TV) needs to think carefully before signing over another check to an organization who seems to be rowing carelessly in a sea of wasted public funds.